Here's the all new Technics DVD-Audio player which is capable of 24-bit/192kHz
digital audio/music decoding and reproduction. An AC-3 and DTS decoder is also included as well for those who want to
enjoy surround sound too. To better explain this new format called DVD-Audio,
may i first say that it
can not be played on current DVD video players on the market today. This new
player is specifically made for the new DVD-A format which is fully approved by the
WG4 (unlike the unapproved Sony's SACD format). DVD-Audio can consist of the
following audio content (not including the compressed MLP format):
| Channels
of Audio |
Bit
Rate |
Type
of Disc |
| 12
cm (normal) |
8
cm (small) |
| Single
Layer |
Double Layer |
Single Layer |
Double Layer |
| 2-channel |
2kHz/24-bit |
258 minutes |
469 minutes |
80 minutes |
146 minutes |
| 2-channel |
192-kHz/24-bit |
64 Minutes |
117 minutes |
20 minutes |
36 minutes |
| 6-channel |
96kHz/16-bit |
64 minutes |
117 minutes |
20 minutes |
36 minutes |
| 5-channel |
96kHz/20-bit |
61 minutes |
112 minutes |
19 minutes |
34 minutes |
5-channel
+
2-channel |
96kHz/24-bit
+
48kHz/24-bit |
43 minutes |
78 minutes |
13 minutes |
24 minutes |
The layers themselves are 0.6mm within the disc itself with
the first layer being semi-transparent in a 2-layer DVD-Audio disc. While the
24-bit digital data results in, theoretically, a 144 db dynamic range, there is
thermal noise in the digital decoding chips currently in use today that limit
this dynamic range to that of a 21.5-bits digital data stream. Well, time to get
back to the Milan show report. Shall we...
Linn was featuring an oldie but a goodie. Their Klassic fully integrated unit is
a fully featured CD/Tuner/preamp/amplifier all in one chassis. The Klassic comes
in many different colors too! Here is a great kitchen stereo or one to send with
your college-aged child. Heck, i say get one for virtually every room in the
house!
TAG McLaren racks up another show
with their full F3 system which i rarely see in the USA. For those who are not
familiar with the basic story, TAG basically bought out Audiolab to create a
company "with a technical advantage and access to resources
second-to-none". TAG offers everything from complete separates systems
to fully integrated remote controllable pre/amplifier units and also CD players.
Maybe it is time i take one of these F3s out for a test drive?
Seen in the C.E.C. room is their portable CD player made by parent company
Sanyo. While not belt driven, i can't help but show this approximately $100 USD
unit as those with their high-end multi-thousand dollar transport might also
want a C.E.C. "to go". Would you like fries with that?
How could any show report be complete without vinyl replay? Seen above is the
Rega tables. From closest to furthest we have the planer 3 black, planer 3 in
red, Rega 25 in light wood and lastly the p9 in dark wood.
Audio Note gave Ian
White of SoundStage! and myself a private listening comparison of the their new
DAC 1 Kit. This new kit, like their top-of-the-line multi-thousand dollar DAC 5,
uses zero-times over sampling. Of course this is an oxymoron since you can not
"over sample" zero times. Basically there is no over sampling used and
lemme tell ya dudes, the sound of this pre-production unit was amazing! There
seemed to be great musical/tempo freedom like that heard on the best analog rigs
while transients came and went very fast. No hanging on here! For what may retail around $700 USD, this may be another Levinson/Krell
killer in the making! Maybe it is all this over sampling that is killing the
music which many reviewers have been complaining about? Whatever the cause, we
shall not need to wait and see for too long as Enjoy the Music.com is going to be one of the first to receive a review
sample! Be here or be square.
While for the life of me i can not find my digital photos of the new Clearaudio
Tangent linear tracking tonearm which should retail for around $2,000 USD. i bet
you dollars for donuts a high resolution analog photo will appear shortly. Until then, please enjoy
this photo of their 3-motor equipped Master Reference turntable with
golden-colored separate power supply called The Accurate Power Generator (seen
right). This power unit claims to clean up the dirty, fluctuating power and turn
it into a "ideal, distortion-free voltage and current, galvanically
isolated from the grid" power. The result is "a relaxed, realistic
soundstage".
Technics were showing off their very Limited Edition gold version of the highly
popular DJ turntable model SL-1200LTD. The 1200 has been a DJ fave for what
seems like an eternity! In fact i personally used two 1200 tables when DJ'ing back in the
80's! This gold version, a long time ago, was only given to DJs who won special
contests. Now it is now available for purchase to the very lucky few who are capable of
buying this staple of DJ'ism. As Beck sings "Where it's at. I got two
turntables and a microphone."
